Does Anyone in the Social Security Administration Read Anything Anymore?

I must ask, does anyone in the Social Security Administration read anything anymore? I am disabled, and I am applying for social security. Now here is the reason behind my question, "does anyone in the Social Security Administration read anything anymore?" In the aproval/denial process you are asked to answer a questionnaire about your daily activities. I have so much pain, in so many areas, not to mention my bi-polar disorder, that I wrote a letter explaining my pain, my mental issues and fears, my daily activities, etc. It was a three page letter, detailing my daily activities, and the pain I go through. I also explained in detail, that I do not drive at all, and I have such a phobia of cars, I can only drive with my husband. I have a horrible fear of being in a car at night, and absolutely cannot do it! I have night blindness and can see nothing at all at night. For someone who already does not drive, and has a terrible fear of being in a car at all, this is a bad combo, and leads to full blown, all out panic attack! I carefully explained this in my letter.

Shortly after I sent the letter and forms back, I received notice that I needed to go see a Chiropractor in the Springs. I live in the mountains, about 30 miles from this appointment. The appointment was set for 3:30pm, (before daylight savings kicked in), and would take about 2-3 hours. Okay, that would mean that I would be leaving this appointment after dark, and have to be in a car for a 30 mile "nightmare" home! I think not!

Here is the really funny part, which lead to my question, "does anyone read anything anymore?" When we called the case worker to let her know that we could not make the appointment, my husband left her a message telling her that we would be coming home in the dark, and as she knew, I could not deal with being in a car in the dark. She called back and said, "not a problem, I can understand her not being able to drive in the dark"! Okay, what part of "I DO NOT DRIVE AT ALL" ,did this person not understand? I cannot help but think at this point, that not one word of my letter was read!

Now I understand how they changed my husbands work history in order to deny him his disability 7 years ago after his back injury. He worked for almost 40 years as a warehouse worker busting his back every night lifting cases weighing between 50 and 120 pounds! He paid into just the social security system, over $100,000.00! He was a single man until he was 42. He grossed (on average), over $30,000.00 a year. Federal taxes alone were more than $1000.00 per month, and he usually had to pay more at the end of the year. Social security was not too much less than that. Then you have your medicare tax, and your state taxes, both of which you do not get back. If your married, with dependants, you may or may not get some state back, but if you are single, you get the shaft.

So the way my husband was thanked for all his years of loyal payment into the system was repaid with lies to keep him from receiving his disability that he had paid dearly all his life to save up for! An appeal was a waste of time. We wrote, explained how the denial stated, "we find you able to work the job you have performed the past 16 years as a plant manager"! Only he worked as a warehouse man, lifting heavy boxes all night. He could not walk. In fact most of his days for the first 3 years after the accident he spent in bed, on his back, with pillows under his knees. He would try so hard to do things in the garden, or on the car, but he would end up in bed, pillows under legs, and all amped up on Advil! I cannot tell you how many times I watched my husband crawl to the bathroom, because the pain was so intense that he could not stand at all. We had no money, no job, and no help. We were alone in all sense of the word. And with my bi-polar, I was worthless to say the least, because I cannot talk to people, period! This computer is the only way I can talk to people without having a panic attack! I know, many will say, oh get over it, well step into my shoes and say that, it's not easy at all!

Fortunately after more than three years my husbands back managed to fuse itself together, and the pain became less frequent, and he was able to do more. That is until he was diagnosed with COPD and arthritis in his knee! We are now trying again for his disability, as well as mine, but fear that once again, we are going to battle the terrible dilemma of the fact that NO ONE IN THE SSA READS ANYTHING ANYMORE!!!

That was two incidences that I have had to deal with of the social security offices employees not reading. Sad thing, it was two separate states! And not the only time I dealt with the issue!

Our 19 year old son has severe autism. So severe that he cannot talk, read, write, etc. He receives SSI, and when he turned 13 I was sent forms with a letter stating that my son had to sign these documents because it was a new law. I signed the forms as I always did, and returned them with a letter explaining that my son was unable to sign because he could not read or write, or talk. I was very specific about his disability, and that he could not talk, or read, or write. A few weeks after I sent the forms with the letter I received another letter with more forms telling me that my son had to sign these forms, it was a new law, yadda, yadda, yadda. I lost it over that one! I called the office, and spoke to the case worker, (same worker that handled my husbands case a couple of years before), on my sons case. It took me almost an hour to get this man to understand what I was telling him!

So, again I ask, "does anyone in the Social Security Administration read anything anymore?" I'm beginning to really have my doubts!